Baked Teriyaki Chicken Breast
Published 1/7/2022 • Updated 6/4/2022
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When in doubt, make this easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken Breast. The chicken is marinated in an easy homemade teriyaki chicken marinade and then baked in a casserole dish until tender.
Flavorful Baked Teriyaki Chicken Breast
There truly isn’t anything better than super saucy baked teriyaki chicken! This is a favorite at our house because it’s easy to whip up and SO SAUCY.
We are big sauce people and we know you will love this teriyaki chicken marinade. It’s sweet and savory all at the same time and perfect for chicken breast.
This meal is ready in less than an hour and the baked chicken comes out so tender on the inside with lots of leftover sauce on the outside.
Why make this recipe?
- One-pot meal: you can prepare the teriyaki marinade and bake the chicken breast using just one dish.
- Kid-friendly: the kids will give these a 5-star review, I promise!
- Simple ingredients: this baked teriyaki chicken breast calls for minimal ingredients and chances are you already have them on hand!
- High-protein: each serving is 28g protein.
- Freezer-friendly: this is such an easy meal to prep ahead of time and freeze for later!
Easy Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
Store-bought teriyaki sauce is convenient, but did you know a homemade teriyaki chicken marinade is super simple to make? Here’s what you need:
- Soy sauce: soy sauce is the star ingredient in this marinade. It’s salty and savory. Feel free to use tamari (gluten-free) or even a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Grated ginger: freshly grated ginger is a must! If you’re lazy like us, check out grated ginger in a tube that we like to keep in the fridge at all times.
- Sriracha: sriracha adds a nice kick. It’s not 100% necessary, but we do suggest it.
- Garlic: you can use pre-minced garlic, or chop your own.
- Maple syrup (or brown sugar): we swapped traditional brown sugar for maple syrup because it’s an all-natural sweetener and it gives the flavor some warmth.
- Green onion: green onion is a fun, fresh add. As it bakes in the oven it will help infuse the chicken with even more flavor.
- Rice vinegar: rice vinegar helps bring out all of the other delicious flavors of the teriyaki sauce.
What is the difference between teriyaki sauce and teriyaki chicken marinade?
There is not much difference flavor-wise between teriyaki sauce and teriyaki marinade. The main difference is the thickness. The sauce is essentially thickened marinade (typically done with cornstarch). Check out some of our homemade recipes below:
What Kind of Chicken Should I use?
While we recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breast, you’re more than welcome to follow this method with other cuts of chicken such as thighs or legs.
Quick tip: Per 1/2 cup teriyaki chicken marinade: use 1 to 1.5 lbs. chicken breast.
Check it out!
6 Chicken Breast Marinades
You are going to love these 6 Easy Chicken Marinades. They’ll infuse your chicken breast with flavor and they’re so easy to put together!
How to Make Baked Teriyaki Chicken Breast
- Mix marinade: first things first. Combine all of the ingredients for your teriyaki chicken marinade in a large bowl or Pyrex.
- Marinate the chicken: place your chicken breast in either a plastic bag (or even the casserole dish it’s going to bake in) and then pour the marinade on top of the chicken. Make sure everything is covered and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or ovenight.
- Bake: Spray a 9×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and then transfer the chicken and the marinade into the dish. Bake at 375ºF for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165ºF.
- Thicken sauce: If you’d like to thicken the sauce use a cornstarch slurry to do so with the leftover marinade.
How to Thicken The Sauce
If you want to thicken your sauce for serving, you MUST do this immediately after the dish comes out of the oven so that the sauce is hot enough to activate the cornstarch slurry. Here’s how to do it:
- Create a cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and water.
- Then, pour the slurry into the remaining sauce and whisk it until it dissolves.
- As the sauce sits for a few minutes, the sauce will thicken.
Other Cook Methods
Don’t feel like using your oven? Try this teriyaki chicken with a different cooking method.
Grilled: Use our grilled chicken breast recipe and grill your chicken at 400ºF for around 15-20 minutes flipping halfway.
Instant Pot: Use our Instant Pot chicken breast recipe and transfer the chicken breast and marinade into your Instant Pot on top of the trivet. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Slow Cooker: Use our slow cooker chicken breast recipe and transfer the chicken breast and marinade into your slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Just make sure: that the internal temperature of your chicken breast is at least 165ºF.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.
Tips & Questions
Yes! By baking the chicken in its marinade, you are further infusing it with the flavors. Transfer the chicken breast and the marinade into a greased baking dish and bake at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes.
Bake chicken at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
You can easily swap the chicken breast for boneless or bone-in chicken thighs.
Yes! We highly recommend serving your baked teriyaki chicken with the leftover marinade. Feel free to thicken the sauce with a little bit of cornstarch.
Check it out!
6 Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
You are going to love these 6 oven baked chicken breast recipes. Check out how to bake chicken breast perfectly every time and get 6 delicious flavor variations!
Serving Suggestions
Our favorite thing to serve this baked teriyaki chicken recipe with is a simple combination of white rice and stir-fried or steamed broccoli. However, combinations are endless! Here are some other grain ideas:
quick tip!
The nice thing about this chicken breast is that it comes out so tender so that you can either slice it as shown in the photos or use 2 forks to shred it!
Storage
Let baked teriyaki chicken breast cool completely. Then, transfer it into an airtight container and seal. Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
Freezer Instructions
Looking to freeze your teriyaki chicken? We actually recommend doing this before baking.
- Place teriyaki chicken marinade and chicken breast into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag.
- Remove as much air as possible and seal.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to cook, make sure to thaw completely and then follow the direction in the recipe card for this baked teriyaki chicken recipe.
Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, or tamari for gluten-free
- 2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Optional sauce thickener: 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds and more chopped green onions
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (minus the chicken breast and cornstarch) into a medium bowl or Pyrex and whisk to combine.
- Place chicken breast into a gallon-size bag and then pour the marinade on top of the chicken, making sure it is covered. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Squish the bag around a bit to make sure everything gets covered.
- Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or for best results, for 24 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF and spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, transfer all of the contents of your bag (including the marinade) into a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Bake chicken breasts at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Remove the chicken breast from the oven and then immediately place it onto a plate. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Option to thicken the remaining sauce for serving. If you choose to do this part, you must do it immediately after the baking dish comes out of the oven so that the heat can activate the cornstarch. Create a cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and water. Then, pour the slurry into the remaining sauce and mix to combine. As it sits it will thicken.
- Serve chicken breast sliced with more sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Tips & Notes
- Cook time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breast.
- Nutrition information was calculated using 1.5 lbs. chicken breast and serves 6 people.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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